Skill Africa Program launched to bridge growing digital divide

Tata Communications Transformation Services (TCTS), focused on transformative business operations and managed network services and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Tata Communications Limited, announced the launch of its Skill Africa Program, in association with the Smart Africa Alliance.

TCTS says the program will address the skills shortage in the technological industry and "chart the way for the future of telecoms and IT infrastructure in Africa."

According to the company, the program will see approximately 150 engineers from across Africa being trained on a variety of next-generation technologies including cyber security, IOT, cloud, big data, robotics and smart cities.

The group of engineers will be comprised of six engineering professionals from each of the 25 Smart Africa Alliance member states.

Once selected, the engineers will attend the program at TCTS Renaissance Training Centre in India.

"Each 30-member cohort will be trained for an intensive one-week period with the first group expected to start in October 2019. Each training period will begin at the beginning of every month for a week-long training session, with the final group expected to complete the training before the Transform Africa Summit 2020," TCTS stated.

Madhusudhan Mysore, Executive Chairman and CEO, Tata Communications Transformation Services, said, "To ensure long term sustainability and growth in ICT services we need to address the skills gap. TCTS has launched this program to provide hands-on experience in technology and operations of ICT networks."

Lacina Koné, Director General of Smart Africa, added, "In order for Africa to be ready for the jobs of the future, our engineers and professionals need to be equipped with the requisite skill sets. The Skill Africa Program is about more than just training 150 African people but also about starting a skills transfer chain where the initial 150 can exponentially impart these skills to thousands across Africa."